I really must gets some new boots. This morning started with me wondering around in the mist and damp by the river. It hasn’t rained for several days yet the grass is soaking wet from the dew – hence the soggy feet.
After I got back, had a shower we were off again. This time having a nice coffee and cake. Then some shopping.
Thankfully the mist and fog cleared away and we were left in a wonderfully bright late autumn day. Given the gray days we’ve endured just recently it was nice to get some sun on our faces. Not quite A day in the Life but it was a typical day for me.
A new month and yet another new lens. Amazon made an offer I just couldn’t refuse. This time a second lens for my ‘traveling’ set up.
It doesn’t quite have the punch of my 25 mm Zeiss lens but it is a lot smaller. Ideal for traveling when I don’t need the Zeiss look. If you know what the Zeiss look is you’ll understand.
As with all my new camera gear the first place I try things out is in the local park. The light was terrible but the lens held up well. I’m looking forward to trying this out i anger later this week.
Changing the Subject.
The other day I revisited images that I captured back in 2013. It is a fascinating experience to remaster images. This time around I was able to throw Adobe AI at the image creation. Did it make any difference?
Of course, it isn’t just AI that I was able to add to the editing process. I also have 11 years of experience and maturing tastes. (In case you are not sure which one is which the first image is the one I created in October this year.)
The thing that brings these two separate instances together is that they were both captured using my ‘traveling setup’. Today it is a 25 mm and 40 mm compact Sony lenses. In 2013 it was a Canon G1 x (I’m not sure which version). Both setups can capture great images.
Just to complete the story here is an example of the 40 mm being used as my ‘traveling setup’.
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, I spent a lot of time walking the streets of Leicester. Yesterday, with my good friend, I revisited old haunts. Things have changed a little: the place is a lot cleaner for one thing. Also, many of the walls of the cultural quarter have just had fresh murals painted on them. I don’t remember what the connection is between Gilgamesh and Enkidu and Leicester is. Matters not the mural is really quite impressive.
We spent some time at the Leicester Print Workshop, a really welcoming place. Then it was pound the streets again around the cultural quarter. The aim was to try and bag all of the Walk of Fame stars.
Unfortunately, walk of fame as fallen into the great hole created by austerity. After the first tranche no further names were added. Those that remain are neglected. Times are tough for Gerry Dorsey
After an excellent lunch at the Good Earth we continued our exploration. This time around the Market Place which appears to be undergoing something of a face lift.
We then came across the very imposing statue of Alice Hawkins, one of the Walk of Fame alumni.
She stands redoubtable above the temporary market shoppers. I wonder if this was the reaction when she gave speeches in favour of votes for women?
All in all a great day: good company; food and an ever changing melting pot of a city. Worse ways of spend a pleasant autumn day.
The garden is slowly closing down for the coming winter. Mellow fruits have been harvested and a few morning mists have been spied stalking the lower parts of the river.
Some morning soon we’ll start to get the first real frosts. Not the slight chills that have hung around with the damp in the morning but rather car windscreen icebergs. Autumn has just over a month to go before the embrace of winter.
According to my AI Overlord the above has only a 5.82 reading grade score…no sorry it has now risen to a magnificent 6.00. If you find it too complicated to comprehend then you clearly agree with the Overlord. Is it me or is this whole AI nonsense just nonsense? Many very brainy people seem (Overload: weasel word) to think not so they are probably (Overlord: another weasel word!) right and I am definitely an old git so what do I know?
Strange things happen in and around the Somerset Levels. In this case they built a magnificent Gothic Wells cathedral. Fast forward to this week and I found myself enjoying the spiritual as well as the culinary delights on offer.
Of course this was always the case. The medieval period saw a proliferation of pilgrimage sites that attracted the faithful and were only too happy to relieve the religious of their cash. Today, the religious fervor has been dampened down. However, we still travel long distances and pay handsomely for the privilege. This allows us to experience, in part, what those tired travelers did all those years ago.
What cathedral isn’t complete without a bit of royal majesty? In Wells’ case it has the added bonus of mystery of the early Anglo Saxon period. Unfortunately Ina wasn’t the great martial king like his predecessor but rather a man of laws. He eventually abdicated and lived out his life in Rome. Exactly how he came to be buried in Wells is not clear. What is certain is that if he had been buried in the early Medieval church that the cathedral replaced, his resting place would be around 100 metres to the south. Let’s not quibble about details.
So if you find yourself in the Somerset area then you enjoy visiting this wonderful place whether you are religious or not.
The last 10 years of my photographic journey is captured in this photograph. It was taken near a point where the district councils of Harborough, Melton and Charnwood meet. The last time I captured this view it was living upto its name. Today it was a warm autumnal afternoon. I know which I prefer.
COVID oh COVID. When will it end? Of course the answer is never. Today it was time for we oldies to get our flu and COVID jabs. So we dutifully went along to our local drop in centre and did our bit for King and the NHS. (And ourselves.) I suspect the King didn’t have to visit a drop in centre to get his jabs. That is whole other story.
I have to say I’m having a bit of crush on my new 40mm lens. It is superb. As with all crushes things will settle down but for now – so so good.
More lens tests in the drizzle and damp. My type of weather. I have to say I like the close focus (Am I allowed to say Macro capabilities) of the new Zeiss lens?). Hopefully the start of a long and productive relationship.
Anyone who knows me will say I’m not really a bargain hunter. I know I should be but I’m not. Life is getting way too short to worry about such things. I never have been and teaching this old new tricks is just not going to happen.
So why did I this morning take delivery of an almost new 40 mm Zeiss lens? Because I’m a human being and I can hold two separate views at the same time. The amount of money I saved over a brand new version was significant. So far, it looks like it was an unbelievable bargain. Perhaps this old dog might manage to learn new tricks.
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